Game types and rules
6 min read · Updated 2026-10-24
A game is the trivia experience people discover, host and play. Its reusable questions, rounds and settings form a Trivia Pack, managed in Studio. A session is one playthrough. A hosted game has a person controlling it; Huddle Live is an always-on channel. Choose a ruleset such as Classic or Study separately from participation (Together, Remote or Hybrid) and screen setup (TV, TV + phones or Phones only). Venue vs. Venue is a competition between two venues. Events are scheduled calendar occurrences; a hosted event still needs its host to press Start.
Game modes
Pick a mode before the game starts.
| Mode | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Classic | Full scoring, speed bonus, comeback boosts and Huddle Moments | Bars, parties, most rooms |
| Competitive | 15-second defaults, TV-only questions, joining locks at start, comeback boosts off | Regulars and leagues |
| Survivor | A wrong answer knocks that team out. Out teams keep watching | High-stakes finales, small rooms |
| Study | Slower pacing, no speed bonus, longer reveals with explanations | Classes, tutoring, training |
| Practice test | Steady 45-second clock, no Huddle Moments, review of every answer | Test prep |
Question types
| Type | How to play |
|---|---|
| Multiple choice, True / False, This or That | Tap one answer |
| Select all that apply, Put in order | Pick several, or arrange them |
| Picture pick, picture and audio clues | Answer from an image. Audio plays on the TV only |
| Short answer | Type it. Case and small typos are forgiven. Reveal labels use the server’s result, even when the typed text is hidden |
| Closest Wins | Type a number. The closest team wins |
| Progressive Clues | Clues appear one at a time. Earlier is worth more |
| Connections | Several clue questions, then "what connects them?" |
Scoring
All scoring happens on the server. Phones can't change it. The rules below describe standard scoring; alternate modes may override these values.
| Type | Points |
|---|---|
| Standard | 1,000 for a correct answer plus up to 300 for speed |
| Closest Wins | 1,000 for the closest, +250 for exact. Others up to 750 |
| Progressive Clues | 2,000 after clue 1, then 1,500, 1,000, 500 |
| Image reveal | 1,000 plus up to 1,000 for answering earlier |
- Later rounds are worth more, up to ×1.75 in the last round.
- Streaks add a flat bonus: 2 in a row +100, 3 +200, 4 or more +300.
- Comeback Assist is always visible. A team far behind gets +10% or +20% on correct answers.
- Comeback Card: one per team. A team tied for last can double a plain multiple-choice answer.
- The host can correct a score by 100 points at a time.
Fair play
- Answers are scored by the server and lock at the deadline.
- Decisions that affect a question (like GO BIG) lock before the question is shown.
- One phone is one team. Don't share answers between teams, use outside help, or run several teams to game the result. Hosts can remove a team.
- Team names must follow the Content Guidelines.
See Huddle Moments for the risk-and-reward twists.